The Spire continues to impress, though this issue shows the first time Spurrier lets the size of the comic get ahead of him. The lead, Shå, shows up on the fourth page or so–some beautiful double page spreads from Stokley here–but she’s just leading the reader through procedural stuff. Stokley’s composition is so strong, it overpowers the character stuff with she and her royal girlfriend bickering. The Spire is a big book, big story.

For the last third of the book, after some political stuff–the non-humans coming and pledging their loyalty to the humans–is all Shå’s, which is good, because Spurrier gets the balance right here between moving the plot forward and letting the comic have a protagonist.

The comic succeeds not just because Spurrier can eventually pull it around, but because he and Stokely work so well together. Stokely’s art makes some of the longer expository scenes visually dynamic enough to move. It’s a good comic, it just meanders a bit as Spurrier tries to define the boundaries of the setting.

The Spire continues to go quite well. Some of Stokely’s art seems a little loose–the setting has a lot of design elements and Stokely takes great care with them. Then he’ll rush through a dialogue scene when it comes to the characters’ faces. The panel sizing is great, the composition is great, it’s just loose with the people.

Well, it’s loose after the issue gets to the protagonist. Before her, the issue follows the new ruler of the Spire’s mother. Not sure if Spurrier is hoping to get Helen Mirren but it’d be pretty cool. The relationship between the protagonist and the “queen mother” is fantastic. Lots of discrete character development.

Spurrier and Stokely have found an odd, working mix with The Spire. It’s steampunk, but organic, Western, but sci-fi, a detective story, but political intrigue. Spurrier never pushes the exposition; it’s all naturally revealed.

It’s darned good.

The Spire is an interesting mix of fantasy, sci-fi and cop story. The protagonist is a captain of the city guard (the Spire itself is a city state in the middle of nowhere–think Mega-City One only in a steampunk-ish future) who’s cavorting with the new ruler’s little sister. The captain is also a woman.

Real quick–the trend of lesbian protagonists in not Big Two comics written by men seems to suggest male writers can’t figure out a way of writing a strong female character who’s interested in men as romantic partners. It just means there aren’t strong enough male characters in otherwise good comics. They’re caricatures.

Except not in Spire, because the only male characters are supposed to be rubes.

Simon Spurrier’s script is good. The pacing is great. Jeff Stokely’s art is awesome, detailed in its roughness.

Spire intrigues and welcomes while maintaining dangerousness.